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Bridget ‘Jet’ Owens (from The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman)
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Outline the story …
Bridget 'Jet' Owens (from "The Rules of Magic" by Alice Hoffman) is a supernaturally beautiful, kind-hearted, shy, sensitive, stylish young witch living with her older sister Franny and younger brother Vincent in Greenwich Village, New York, from the 1960s to the early 1970s, before moving permanently to their inherited, ancestral home in a small Massachusetts town. They are all bloodline witches each with specific talents and gifts. They suffer from a family curse which befalls those who are in love with the Owens witches. The curse was created by their oldest traceable ancestor, Maria while imprisoned for witchcraft hundreds of years earlier. Jet was the first sibling to succumb to the curse, with a tragic vehicular accident killing her forbidden love, Levi, and both of her parents on her 17th birthday in 1961. Their story mirrors 'Romeo and Juliet' with a complex family feud keeping apart the descendants of a witch and a witch-hunter. Jet lives with a sorrow for her lost love and carries the past in her mind for the rest of her life. She has a penchant for the poetry of Emily Dickinson, old novels, gardening, and creating love potions. Jet has “the sight” and can hear other people’s thoughts and intentions. Her familiar is a cat named Wren. She is never seen without her beloved moonstone ring given to her by Levi the last day they were together, even though silver tarnishes whenever a witch is near.
Outline the construction…
I wanted Jet to aesthetically mirror the beautiful, pseudo-historical women from the illustrations on the covers of gothic novels from the 60s and 70s. Purple is an important color within the story; lavender and especially lilacs, with their fragrant scent surround the family and signify major turning points in their lives I chose this style to reflect the historical (Regency period in this case) influences which were in style at the time, updated with a mini length for the 60s and 70s I wanted to communicate visually that Jet dwells on the past, and used lavender with the historical significance of the color being used later in the Victorian mourning period as well, since Jet is still grieving for her lost love. I used an altered version of Simplicity pattern 9825 from 1971, I shortened the skirt into a mini length, and adjusted the sleeve “puffs” so the middle elbow part was longer and the wrist puff was shorter. I made the dress from cotton broadcloth to give it an ethereal lightweight look. It’s trimmed with darker purple velvet ribbon All the gathers, ribbons and the hem were done by hand with an attempt at a decorative stitch. The mameluke/virago/Marianne sleeves were difficult to construct, it took me a few tries to make them the correct length and volume. The velvet cuffs were the hardest to get right, and I ended up sewing them into place by hand.
The sleeves are great and you really evoke the 60’s/70’s in shape and length – I knew it before I read your story and construction. Very nice!
I adore the vintage vibe of this dress. Your detailing is beautiful and the colours spot on. You’ve also made me want to read the book!
I adore this dress 10/10 would wear all the time. Gorgeous work!
This is definitely one that grows on you more and more the longer and closer you look. Beautiful colors and I love the little bows. It suits you very well, especially watching it ‘in action’ in the video. Great job!
The bows on the sleeves are absolutely the cutest!
Oh this is very nice. Well done! Thank you!